


A Badge

by tqpannie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fluff, Friendship, Hogwarts Era, The Quidditch Pitch: From Diagon Alley to Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-25
Updated: 2005-10-25
Packaged: 2018-10-25 13:18:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10765047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tqpannie/pseuds/tqpannie
Summary: What was Hermione going to say when Ron got his prefects badge





	A Badge

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

Ron Weasley felt in his pocket again for his Prefects badge. It was a comforting weight against his leg, and his thumb trace over the P. He was stunned; he had never expected to get the Prefect spot, and he certainly had never expected to get the position instead of Harry. He took a long swallow of his butterbeer, and smiled happily until his eyes fell on Hermione. She was chatting animatedly with Professor Lupin, comparing the treatment of house elves with the unfair legislation against werewolves. His heart gave a fluttered as he watched her eyes light up with passion, and his stomach clenched when the sound of her laughter filled the room. She seemed pleased for him—shocked--but pleased nonetheless, he thought to himself. If Ron was completely honest with himself, he was shocked too. He felt special, and the knowledge that he had made his mum smile despite all that was happening filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction. 

 

He had his own broom now, and maybe he would tryout for the empty Keeper position on the Quidditch team. This was just the first step towards his eventual goal: to be worthy of Hermione. He couldn’t compete financially with Viktor, couldn’t buy her fancy presents, and he certainly wasn’t the Quidditch player Viktor was, but he had to start somewhere. He’d realized after the Yule Ball that his feelings for Hermione had changed, and that somewhere along the way he began to fancy her. In his mind[,] he was certain she could never return his feelings, that he wasn’t worthy of someone so brilliant, and that the whole situation was hopeless. His glanced at her again, his eyes tracing over the bushy brown hair he loved, to the eyes that lit up with such passion when she was excited over any subject, and then to her full lips and he couldn’t help but wonder how they would feel pressed against his. His ears grew hot and he forced himself to look away, and he caught the knowing grin on his parents’ faces.

 

He sat down at the table next to Hermione and pretended to be listening to her conversation with Professor Lupin. He could smell the vanilla scent of her shampoo as he listened to the fire in her voice; he could sit there forever just listening to her speak. She had been going to say something when his badge arrived, and he needed to hear what it was. He smiled a little remembering how she blushed when George had said that it was unexpected that he got Prefect. She was going to launch into a speech when they were interrupted. Could he just come out and ask her what she was planning to say? Did he have the bollocks to do so? Ron remained lost in his thoughts until Hermione elbowed him in the side.

“Your parents just ordered us to bed,” she said, smiling at him as he rubbed his side. “It looks as though you were already dreaming.”

He sat frozen in his seat as she stood up to follow the others out of the room. It was now or never, and if he didn’t do it now they may not get even two seconds alone before the headed back to Hogwarts.

“Hermione,” he said, his voice cracking. “I was wondering if, well er…” He could feel his face growing hot when she turned to look at him.

“What is it Ron?”

“Could you come over here so I don’t have to shout at you from across the room?” 

He watched a puzzled expression come over her face and his heart leap into his throat when she moved to stand in front of him. 

He rose from the chair to stand shifting nervously from foot to foot, and he buried his hands in his pockets so she wouldn’t see them shaking. He could feel her eyes boring into him and he felt a light sweat breakout on his brow.

“Ron, what is it?” she said softly. “Your mum’s going to be cross with us.”

He cleared his throat, utterly mortified when his voice took a high pitch, and he managed to stammer, “What were you going to tell George and Fred about my being name Prefect?”

He saw a light blush rise onto her cheeks and her eyes darted off, looking anywhere but at him.

“I was going to tell them you had done lots of really brave things,” she whispered.

“I haven’t, not really, and not like Harry has.” 

She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his at last.

“Yes you have. You sacrificed yourself first year so Harry and I could go on, you stood up to Malfoy and coughed up slugs for me in second year…” Her voice had grown firmer and the blush on her cheeks had darkened to a deep red. “ You were willing to die for Harry and I know you’d do the same for me.”

He could feel himself getting redder by the minute, even his neck was red and hot. He looked down at her in shock. She believed he’s done all those things and maybe that meant she believed in him.

He held his breath when she stood on tiptoes and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

“Ron, I’m really, really glad we’ll be Prefects together,” she whispered into his ear. “I’m very proud of you.” 

Ron’s heart rate doubled when she placed a brief kiss on his cheek and he stood totally flabbergasted when she darted out of the room. His hand rose to his cheek and he felt some of the tension leave his body. He quietly made his way from the kitchen and up the stairs to the room he shared with Harry.

 

He never saw the grin that Mad Eye Moody shot towards Remus and Sirius; or the gallons exchanged between them.


End file.
